One the things that I look back on as a young boy growing up in Back Street, Cobo Town, was how protective the elders were of the youths regardless if they were related to you or not. They went out of their way to make sure that we stayed on the straight and narrow. The women in particular weren't afraid to give us a good telling off if they saw us somewhere that they felt we shouldn't be, or if we forgot our manners and didn't say good morning when we passed them on the street. They would utter something like " So you ah play big man now, you ah pass me and nah say marning? wey yo manners"? They would then made sure that your guardians knew about the event.
If you were hanging with the wrong crowd, they would go and tell your parents " Me see Terry, down ah so and so with so and so, yo must warn him!" At the time it would have been easy to think that they did it for spite but on reflection it was out of concern for our well-being. So I though that it would be nice to remember the elders who lived in my neighbourhood. (most of whom are no longer with us)
I lived in Back Street, next to Darkie and John Smith, they lived in an upstairs and down stairs wall house, as we called it then. The Smiths were good neighbours and we often played at their home with one of their family member, from Valley who often came to visit called "Pinky". Starting from the extreme end of the Street there was Herbin Peters, a quiet man who rode a bicycle. He was the father of my uncle, Murvin. The Baileys back yard was on the same stretch of road. Their famliy members were Winston, Charles and Mikey.
Moving further up the Street there was Mrs Cyrus, a lovely church going lady who came from Aruba, with her children, Sam, Joseph, Julie, Romel and Maria. Across from Mrs Cyrus was Miss Mac.
I must point out here that some of the names mentioned may not be accurate but these were names which I knew them as at the time. Next to Miss Mac was Tanty Miss. Tanty Miss, made us laugh. When she was cursing, every other word she used was "Kiss-Me-Arse". She was the grandmother of Jacquline and Bernadette. In the same yard but further down, was Aunt Doyle and Uncle Diddy. Their surname was Smith. Uncle Diddy was Tanty Miss brother. He was such a nice quiet man, we used to go with him to his mountain in Three Rivers.
Miss Morris lived a way up from Tanty Miss, next to her sister Mrs Brown, a light shin lady. Mrs Brown''s husband was Brinsley Brown. They also had a small shop. They had a son Boris and grandchildren, Cherry, Sis and Francis. After Mrs Brown was Darkie Smith then our house. Across the road from our place was a man we called Uncle Freddie. I don't know if Uncle Freddie had any family because he lived alone and didn't have any visitors, apart from the kids he used to invite in for sweeties.
My Great Gran was Nenen Sutton, a strong hard working woman who looked after Five generations of children. Her daughter Gladys, my grand mother, died when I as about Four so I don't remember her. Next to us was Miss Martina Jackson, Ormond and Noel are related to her. Miss Nola moved in after Miss Jackson moved away.
Petty Goodridge lived in a wall house next to Miss Nola. Petty was a coolie lady, she and Nenen were good friends. Across from Petty was Esmie Layne and Edna. Esmie and Edna were related. Eda's mother was Esmie's sister.. Edna, didn't say much, she always had an early moning dip in the sea and always return with fire wood from Bayside. Right next to the Laynes was Miss Visin. We used to meet in her yard at night to talk Nancy stories with Merle and Judeth. On the other side of the road from Miss Visin, was Mrs Charles.. The Charles used to live on the main road next to Dr Cordice, but they moved to Back Street in the late Sixties. I can still remember the day when they moved their house on a truck. Darcus Da Silva, lived close to Mrs Charles. Miss Silva as we called her was a lovely woman, she always shared her crop with the neighbours. Rusita, Yvonne, Tabetha, Sampson, Pallo, Melio, Cultico, Norita and Gerald were her off springs.
These were the folks in my immediate neighbourhood and whose homes I used to visit to play and sometimes eat. There were many others in the area. People like Miss Elen, Mr Pilgrim and Miss Sutton.
On the main road there was Mrs Cato, a really nice light skin woman, her husband Mr Cato owned a bus called "Sorento". Their off springs that I knew of were Vin, (R.I.P 2014) Junior, aka Tuneyman and Gloria. Miss Gatha, who lived in a wall house near the Catos, owned a shop, she was killed in a bus incident. Gatty Williams, was related to the Charles, she was the mother of Mac Charles. Gatty lived opposite the park next to Maude and Claude, (Trady). I think Maude and Trady were brothers and sisters, they hardly opened their windows. Maude only had one leg. Sometimes we helped her by fetching water at the stand pipe next to her house. There was something wrong with Trady. They had another sibling called Coachie.
Miss King, lived further up the road at the far end of the park, she was nice caring lady and was close to my great gran. Margret and Daddy Glasgow, lived next to Cordice red house. Miss Margret, made the best sweet potato pudding ever. Miss Toney, sold snacks on cinema days and also made ice cream. She was a nice quiet lady who always said morning when she passed you. Her off springs that I knew of were Helen, Vee, Ferdie and Alicene.
Peter Tishera, was a red skin man he didn't mix much. He was always going to mountain. He was Miss Da Silva's partner but they lived in separate houses. They had a son Gerald, we used to call him "Madera".
Ertris Liverpool,owned a shop in the village. If the locals had no money she would always trust them until they were able to pay. She was the first lady I saw with a car. Perter Tishera was Miss Ivy's, uncle. She also owned a shop across from where she lived, next to Miss Soso. Miss Maybe, lived opposite Miss Ivy and Miss Ena lived aceoss from Miss Toney, her kids were Mazzie and Pa.
Not too far from the sea front was a small community. Some of the folks living there was Miss Goodridge, her granddaughter was Sylvenia (Virginia) Turbin and Miss Alma, Sylvany, Miss Gregg, Miss Vickie and Miss Dinah. (Vickie and Dinah were sisters) There were also Miss Melvina and Papa Harry. Miss Elonora, and Miss Batey. Miss Nana and Dugal Telpher. We were terrible as kids, we teased Dudal terribly. We called him "Mango Skin" and ran, knowing full well that he couldn't catch us because of his bad leg. Miss Jack and Frans Crichton, Their siblings were Trevor and Everlyn. The Rogers, Miss Pitt and Miss Shirley also lived in the village.
There were so many other influential folks though out the town but the ones that I mentioned are those that immediately spring to mind. I haven't mentioned many Indian people, that is because most of them did not mix with us apart from the Huggins. Miss Huggins was like one of us she didn't mind us coming to her home. Her children that I knew of were Berry, Michael,Joycelyn, Victor, Foster and Micky (Hugo). The family also ran a shop next door to Ferdie's Footsteps. Miss Collins, had Junior and Bernadine living with her. Miss Carbery and Nenny Paul lived near to the Huggins. All of the above touched my life in one form or another, if I have missed anyone out or you have your own list of elders that you would like to be remembered please get in touch with me.
Thank You Jackie Bennett, Hetty Browne Crichton, Cassandra and Patara Layne for your massive input. Thank you also, to my relatives Rudolph and Shiela Perry.
Dr Gideon Cordice - A man of the people.
Many Georgetown folks from my Grand parents era spoke very highly of this man, Doctor Gideon Cordice. I have heard stories of how he would often tend to poor people free of charge and was always at hand no matter what time of night.
He resided at this property back in the day.
Does anyone recall this great man and his good deeds? Share your stories
Roslyn John:
My mother grew up in Georgetown, as my grandfather, Henry John, was a manager of the sugar factory back in the day. She also attended Georgetown primary school so she were childhood friends with people like Dr. Cordice, Milton Cato, Ms. Duncan and quite a few others from the Georgetown area. As grown ups she and most of them stayed dear friends, Dr. Cordice was one of those dear friends. Dr. Cordice would attend us, my mom's children in his private clinic without a charge. My mom worked at the Mental Hospital too, along with Dr. Cordice when he was doctor in charge of that institution. From then to now, Dr. Cordice and my mom, God bless their souls, must be turning in their graves to see the state of that institution today. Dr. Cordice sister was also a dear friend of my mom.
